15 Fantastic Fashion Film Festivals to Attend in 2018

The type of content that falls under the term fashion film is something that over the years has gradually been getting broader. Though its definition may have yet to be agreed upon unanimously, its role is becoming somewhat clearer. Many directors are seeing fashion film as a way to establish a name for themselves, as well as the chance to enjoy working on less commercial, more creative projects. 

Catering for the increased amount of content being created, a raft of new film festivals has exploded onto the scene in the past ten years. Furthermore, already established film festivals have began opening up specific categories for this genre. Finding out which film festivals to submit to and attend has become a time-consuming task. There are several aspects to consider including: who’s going to be looking at your film, what kind of visibility you will gain from being selected and what’s the likelihood of being included in the programme? 

I have attended several film festivals around the world with a fashion focus or category, and have also worked with filmmakers on their distribution strategies. As a result, I’ve been able to assess which events are worth the time, effort and cost to submit to. This is a selection of those that have been active in the past two years, are either solely fashion-focussed or have fashion film categories and work hard to make sure that the best fashion films are recognised and highlighted. 

1. Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF)

Submission Deadline 31 May 2018

Event dates 7-11 Nov 2018

Submissions Fees £24 - £45

Tickets TBC, see asff.co.uk

Now in its eighth year, the BAFTA-recognised short film festival based in York, UK, celebrates quality and innovation in a range of film genres, including fashion film. The festival has a unique atmosphere and gives York’s thriving arts scene an extra buzz over the course of five days. Featuring a very rich programme, Aesthetica offers the chance for directors from many different backgrounds to come together and be inspired by each other’s work.

THEY SAY “Aesthetica celebrates all short films and looks at the interplay between them. From a curation point-of-view, we look at fashion film as an amalgamation of many genres, including art, dance, music, documentary, narrative and branded content.” Cherie Federico, founder/festival director

Cinecitta On Wheels, by Inti Cardon

2. A Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF)

Submission Deadline 31 March 2018

Event dates June 2018

Submissions Fees €25 - €45

Tickets Free, invitation only for opening and closing ceremony

Founded by visionary fashion icon Diane Pernet, ASVOFF was the first ever fashion film festival. The event was set up in 2008 in Paris as a way to bring together fashion and film, with a strong focus on contemporary art, music and design – something that is reflected in the programme. The event aims to nourish and showcase young creative talents, providing them with access to Diane Pernet’s extensive international network. 

THEY SAY “ASVOFF considers fashion to be primarily a culture rather than an industry, one that most of us can’t deny we belong to, which helps us to define our identity, to enhance our singularities, to express our sensibilities and our commitments.” Diane Pernet, festival director

Kenzo, Snowbird, by Sean Baker

3. Berlin Fashion Film Festival (BFFF)

Submission Deadline 28 February 2018

Event dates 12-13 July 2018

Submissions Fees €39 - €499

Tickets €249 - €499

BFFF sits at crossroads between an advertising and fashion film festival. Now in its seventh year, its programme is very much tailored around facilitating connections between directors, production companies, agencies and clients through B2B events and networking opportunities.

THEY SAY “Rather than focussing on films that are purely about fashion, at BFFF we also highlight and award work done for lifestyle brands and music videos as long they feature a strong emphasis on aesthetics.” Frank Funke, founder/festival director

The Sleeping Field, by THAT JAM

4. Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival

Submission Deadline 28 February 2018

Event dates TBC, contact info@bokehfestival.co.za 

Submissions Fees Free

Tickets Free, registration required

Coming up to its fifth edition, this festival comprises a series of 10 ‘mini-festivals’ held in various locations around the country during the year, culminating in two red-carpet style awards galas held 6 and 7 April 2018 in Cape Town, and then 13 and 14 April 2018 in Johannesburg. Bokeh puts a great emphasis on encouraging collaborations; assisting filmmakers in making the most of their time in the country by supporting them in location scouting and shooting new content. 

THEY SAY “Bokeh offers our guests an environment that celebrates fashion, film, music, technology and design – while enjoying the world’s best fashion films.” Adrian Lazarus, founder/festival director

Statues, by Josh Brandão and Nicolai Kornum

5. Canadian International Fashion Film Festival (CANIFFF)

Submission Deadline 25 March 2018

Event dates 4-5 May 2018

Submissions Fees C$30

Ticket Prices C$20 -C$150

Set in Calgary, the goal of this festival is to act as conduit between Canadian talent and the international fashion film network, by facilitating collaboration with other film festivals and platforms. Its selection of fashion films reflects a purist vision in which the garments play a leading role.

THEY SAY “CANIFFF supports filmmakers in their craft, awards their efforts and empowers their careers. We find it exciting when we see filmmakers, composers and make-up artists go on from CANIFFF to take home awards in many of the other festivals.” Katrina Olson-Mottahed, co-founder/festival director

LITOST directed by Gsus Lopez /still by Raúl Hidalgo

6. Ciclope Festival

Submission Deadline 21 September 2018

Event dates 8-9 November 2018

Submissions Fees €90 - €425

Ticket Prices TBC, contact info@ciclopefestival.com

The international film craft event now based in Berlin is entirely dedicated to the art of execution and welcomes fashion film entries as a special category. It offers mix of seminars, workshops and inspiring talks, with past speakers having hailed from  brands and organisations such as Audi, The Guardian and the Advertising Producers Association.

THEY SAY “To us, it doesn’t matter if it’s a fashion film, a commercial or a music video: we are interested in the craftsmen behind the camera.” Francisco Condorelli, festival director

#WeBelieveInThePower OfLove, by Luca Finotti

7. CinéFashion Film Awards

Submission Deadline TBC – currently able to submit by emailing cffainfo@cinemoius.com

Event dates Autumn 2018

Submissions Fees Free

Ticket Prices US$100 -US$1000

The CinéFashion Film Awards has been taking place in Hollywood since 2014 and is the annual awards show for the US television network Cinemoi, which focusses on film, fashion and style. Compared to other fashion film festivals, it is all about the glitzy awards show, which has featured such illustrious guests and presenters as  Stevie Wonder, Carmen Electra and Dionne Warwick.

THEY SAY “The CinéFashion Film Awards does not only focus on fashion, style or fashion films but we focus on philanthropy that helps speak the silent language of hope throughout the globe.” Daphna Edwards Ziman, founder, president and CCO, Cinémoi

Bello, by Monica Menez

8. Copenhagen Fashion Film Festival

Submission Deadline TBC for 2019

Event dates 8-10 February 2018

Submissions Fees €25 - €40

Ticket Prices DKK 50 -  DKK 210

Set up in 2015, the Copenhagen Fashion Film Festival explores fashion film from a modern as well as from a more historical point of view. The annual event features screenings, talks and exhibitions following a different theme every year, with a strong focus on highlighting Nordic talent. Its selection of films ranges from abstract and surreal content to more storyline-based films and documentaries. 

THEY SAY “The festival focusses on the connections between fashion, film and artistic practices through various film screenings, talks, debates and special events. The festival has changing themes related to the cultural aspects of the history, present and future of fashion and film.” Ditte Marie Lund, founder/festival director

Uniform of Great Hope, by Tobias Birk Nielsen

9. FASHIONCLASH Fashion Film Festival (FFFF)

Submission Deadline TBC

Event dates TBC, contact info@fashionclash.nl

Submissions Fees €35 - €50

Tickets Free, invitation only for specific events

Newly launched in 2017, this is the Netherlands’ first fashion film festival and was developed as part of  FASHIONCLASH, an annual international, interdisciplinary event that takes place in Maastricht and offers emerging artists and designers a platform to present to industry leaders.  

THEY SAY “With FFFF we present an international film festival that not only functions as a platform for fashion films but also as a dialogue to question and develop the genre.” Branko Popovic, founder/director

The Parallel Pyramid Platform, by Dennis Vanderbroeck

10. Fashion Film Fest Istanbul

Submission Deadline 31 August 2018

Event dates 17-18 November 2018

Submissions Fees Free

Tickets Free

With three editions down the line, Fashion Film Fest Istanbul has managed to consistently feature important players from the fashion and film industry among its jury and speakers, including names such as Gareth Pugh, Damir Doma and Bruno Aveillan. The annual programme features talks, panels and workshops in Turkish and English, as well as screenings of an international selection of fashion films from partner festivals worldwide. 

THEY SAY “In a city often described as a bridge between Europe and Asia, Fashion Film Fest Istanbul aims to extend this identity to all the realms that fashion encounters every day including contemporary art, music and media.” Tula Yilmaz, festival director

Flyte, Cathy Come Home by Femke Huurdeman

11. Fashion Film Festival Milano (FFFMilano)

Submission Deadline 15 May 2018

Event dates 19-25 September 2018

Submissions Fees Free

Ticket Prices Free to attend, registration required

In just four years, the annual Fashion Film Festival Milano has become an important international destination for directors working in fashion film. The event spans several days, and includes panels and talks with international fashion industry professionals, plus  screenings of films curated by Vice Italy CD, Gloria Maria Cappelletti.  

THEY SAY “FFFMilano is a democratic event opening the world of fashion to the wider audience: it’s a unique window through which the big names in fashion meet emerging talent.” Constanza Cavalli Etro, founder/festival director

Infinite Path, by Francesco Torricella & Arice

12. LA Fashion Film Festival (LAFFF)

Submission Deadline 15 July 2018

Event dates 4-6 October 2018

Submissions Fees $100 - $250

Ticket Prices Free to attend, registration required

Premiering this year, the two-day LA Fashion Film Festival is the most recent addition to the fashion film festival scene and offers dialogues between filmmakers, industry leaders, digital innovators and members of our influential jury. With its prime location at the hub of the motion picture industry it is one to look out for.

THEY SAY “LAFFF is here to foster greater fusion between fashion and film producers in order to reach and engage with the connected consumer.” Justin Merino, festival co-founder

13. La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival (LJIFFF)

Submission Deadline 29 May 2018

Event dates 19-21 July 2018

Submissions Fees Free

Ticket Prices Free to attend, invitation only

Now entering its 9th year, this was the first international fashion film festival established in North America and – located at the sunny Californian resort of La Jolla – bills itself as the Cannes of the fashion film world. It’s a well attended event that offers good networking opportunities and support for winners by facilitating professional collaborations across the States.

THEY SAY “La Jolla is global collaborative collective of filmmakers. Our goal is to authentically promote our creative potential in the marketplace of the world.” Fred Sweet, founder/festival director

Statures of Gods by Arthur Valverde

14. Mexico Fashion Film Festival (MFFF)

Submission Deadline TBC, contact info@mexicofff.com.mx

Event dates TBC

Submissions Fees Free

Ticket Prices Free to attend, invitation only for special events and the awards ceremony

Taking place in Mexico City and championing Mexican talent and local productions, Mexico Fashion Film Festival celebrates fashion film as form of expression for professionals and amateurs alike. This is a particularly interesting festival as it offers a way to gain visibility throughout Latin America, though it retains an international appeal by collaborating with selected film festivals worldwide. 

THEY SAY “My work for the festival is to humanise fashion, in order to make it a cultural matter as well as a creative expression. We want to awake the youngsters’ curiosity so they can tell stories through fashion film.” Luisa Sáenz, festival director

Madame Technicolor, by Patricia Arzimanoglou

15. Video Art and Experimental Film Festival (VAEFF)

Submission Deadline 15 May 2018

Event dates 8-11 November 2018

Submissions Fees US$37 - US$55

Ticket Prices US$15 - US$45

Based in New York City, VAEFF prides itself in selecting the most conceptually and aesthetically daring video art and experimental films from across the globe – with one of it’s themes being the new wave of fashion films. Unlike other film festivals, the event does not feature an awards element, but focusses screenings, followed by Q&A’s, giving the chance to directors to connect and network with the audience.

THEY SAY “VAEFF seeks to push the boundaries of what is considered video art, selecting works that reflect the medium’s current reality as opposed to its traditional definition.” Dan Fine, director and chief curator

Paris Go Zones for i-D, by Cyprien Clément-Delmas